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By Tammy Rickard '18, plant manager and USI adult learner
I started my journey with USI in the fall of 1991 as a Presidential Scholar. I was awarded one of the full scholarship opportunities by being the salutatorian of my class. I started my USI journey with the intention of being a physical therapist. I fulfilled my prerequisites over the next three years and applied to physical therapy school at both IUPUI and the University of Louisville. IUPUI invited me for an interview, but I was not accepted at either school.
At this point in my life, I had always succeeded when it came to my education, and I really had no back up plan. I had already forfeited the last year of my scholarship and was planning a wedding in May. Then, as typical, life happened. I got married in May of 1994 and started a family. I did enroll in Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana, but pregnancy-related health issues caused me to drop out.
By the time my son was born, I needed to get a job with insurance, so all of my career goals were put on hold. I got a job in the summer of 1995 at a local molding facility and felt lucky to spend the next 24 years there. I moved up within the company to various positions, but always felt something was missing. In the summer of 2017, I was just looking online and noticed the Bachelor of Professional Studies program at USI, an online program that seemed like the perfect opportunity to finish my degree and not lose credits I had previously earned. I was only 27 credit hours away from graduating. I contacted Dr. Wes Durham, and he quickly replied to me and put me in touch with Lee Ann Shafer. She was very helpful in getting me re-enrolled and evaluating my transcripts to help me finish my goal and my degree. I knocked those 27 credit hours out in two semesters, while working a very stressful full-time job at about 70 hours per week, and raising three children. My family was very supportive during this time and was instrumental in helping me to my goal. I am happy to say that I completed my goal in the spring of 2018.
At the time I was not really looking to change jobs but just wanted to fulfill my goal of receiving my degree. In the fall of 2018, my employer was starting to struggle financially and planned to sell the business. I was uncertain what my future would hold there. I was approached by another manufacturing facility in the area, and for the first time in 24 years, interviewed for a new job. Thankfully, the BPS program had prepared me for this by working on my resume and other skills that were very instrumental in building my confidence. I am happy to say that I did get the job, but not the job that I interviewed for. I was interviewing for a program manager position, and instead I was offered the position of plant manager. This was not only securing my future, but also giving me a step up in the industry. I have been with my new company for three months now, and things are going really great! I am serving as the plant manager for Viking Plastics, a company in Scottsburg, Indiana, that makes plastic components for the automotive market. We employ 175 people on three shifts, and we are a $75 million company, with $25 million coming from my plant. I am responsible for all plant operations, including manufacturing, human resources, safety, purchasing and logistics.
I really feel I owe a lot to USI and the BPS program for offering me that second chance to achieve my goal!